Liberties: Flash Fiction from Ireland

By Liberties Festival

In Summer 2015 the Liberties Festival Dublin held its very first flash fiction competition. Writers were asked for their best short short works on the theme ‘Liberties’ - both the concept of liberties and the Liberties area of Dublin, Ireland.

This collection showcases the finest entries received as well as the winning entries by Mark Jenkins and Gary J Byrnes.

The area known as The Liberties is the south-west part of Dublin’s inner city – approximately west of Aungier Street and south of the River Liffey – predominately in Dublin 8. Steeped in history, its name originated with the arrival in the 12th century of the Anglo-Normans who titled jurisdictions united to the city but outside the boundaries of its walls as ‘Liberties’. Two of the most important were the Liberty of St. Sepulchre (under the Archbishop of Dublin) and the Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore (under the Abbey of St. Thomas, later the Earl of Meath’s Liberty). For supporting the ruler, these Liberties received privileges such as freedom from various taxes. Today’s Liberties area is made up of these two ancient Liberties.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Liberties Festival
• Release date: Aug 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311418654

Book preview

Tom O’Brien

I remember Dublin in the rare oul times

Born May 27 1929, my inauspicious entry was at The Coombe Hospital in Dublin. I mean the REAL Coombe, which is no longer, except for the columnar facade which has been preserved (not in my honour).

In St. Francis Square, Dublin 8, one of my earliest memories is of flags and bunting decorating the streets in a very hot summer. I reckon it was the Eucharistic Congress in 1932 which was imprinted on my brain at this time.

School days began in the Parish school in the churchyard, thence to the Christian Brothers in Francis Street. I remember my mam handing me a sandwich through the gate; a Cadbury's chocolate bar between two cuts of bread. Heaven!

Saturday morning was with Granny, who took me to Merchant’s Quay for 12 O'Clock Mass. This was a great day, firstly because of the Bulls Eyes bought in High Street, and secondly because of the congregation in the church - a truly eccentric group of people. They carried bicycle pumps (for no reason), bunches of flowers, and anything at all which could be described as personal belongings.

On Saturday, after Mass, the lighting of the fire was a treat. The process of fire lighting began with sticks, paper, coal, and a small can of paraffin oil! Usually the first attempt was successful but one day I recall a near disaster. Having doused the coals with paraffin and applying the match there was a negative result. So, back came the paraffin and then the second match. Whoosh! My eyebrows were gone, Granny’s wispy grey streaks were singed and, presto, the fire was